This archive report was first published on 21 August 2019.
On August 13, 2019, a man killed nine people in 32 seconds in Dayton, Ohio, in a tragic mass shooting. Just days later, law enforcement agencies in the United States were dealing with another disturbing trend: a surge in arrests related to mass shootings and white supremacist threats.
On August 15, 2019, a 20-year-old man was arrested near Youngstown, Ohio, after he threatened to shoot up a Jewish community center. In Norwalk, Connecticut, a 22-year-old was arrested for collecting weapons with the intention of committing a mass shooting. Meanwhile, in Florida, a 25-year-old man was arrested for sending a text message expressing a desire to 'break a world record for longest confirmed kill ever.'
These arrests come as federal law enforcement officials grapple with a resurgent white supremacist threat, which some say has been aided by rhetoric from the White House and conservative media outlets. The rise of white supremacy has been a concern for years, and the federal government effectively disbanded the Department of Homeland Security team that tracked domestic terrorism a decade ago.
On August 10, 2019, a 45-year-old man was arrested in New Jersey for possessing 17 guns, a grenade launcher, and Nazi paraphernalia, among other items. The Nazi paraphernalia was also associated with outlaw motorcycle gangs, according to prosecutors.
Aside from the firearms, the stockpile seized from the man's home and car included brass knuckles, at least one high-capacity magazine, hollow-point bullets, a wooden ax handle, and a baseball bat. A total of 17 guns were found, and the man was charged with intent to distribute methamphetamines and marijuana, as prosecutors say he carried the weapons to assist with drug trafficking.
The man was convicted in 1999 of writing a bad check, a felony that makes his possession of any firearm illegal. The arrests come as federal law enforcement officials grapple with a resurgent white supremacist threat, which some say has been aided by rhetoric from the White House and conservative media outlets.
